Kershaw carries some risk

Some big names in baseball are scheduled to make two starts each in Week 12. However, they might not all be worth deploying in fantasy baseball. Let’s highlight five players who are expected to start twice each and discuss what their matchups could mean for their fantasy value.

Chris Sale, Atlanta Braves: at MIL, vs. COL

Sale has logged at least six innings and allowed one or no runs in each of his last four starts. His 1.24 WHIP is considerably higher than his mark of 1.01 from last season, but a lot of that can be traced to his struggles out of the gate this year. Over his last eight starts, Sale has a 1.05 WHIP. He also continues to miss a ton of bats with 30.9% strikeout rate.

Sale can be a dominant force for fantasy managers whenever he takes the mound, but his two matchups for Week 12 are especially appealing. The Brewers have the eighth-worst OPS in baseball, while the Rockies have the worst OPS and have struck out the most times. For those who were lucky enough to draft Sale, two juicy stat lines could be on the horizon.

Clayton Kershaw, Los Angeles Dodgers: at SD, vs. SF

Kershaw was limited to just seven starts last season because of injury. He finished with a 4.50 ERA and a 4.33 xFIP. His struggles have carried over into this season with him posting a 5.17 ERA and 5.15 xFIP across four starts. A big concern has been his lack of strikeouts. For his career, he has a 27.3% strikeout rate. However, he has followed up his 18.0% strikeout rate last season with an 11.4% strikeout rate this year.

Kershaw probably has more name value than actual fantasy value right now. The Dodgers aren’t going to push him to pitch deep into games as their main goal is to keep him healthy for the playoffs. Combine that with his low strikeout rate and it’s going to be difficult for him to have a significant fantasy impact. The Padres and Giants aren’t the worst of matchups, but Kershaw should only be viewed as a viable option for Week 12 in 15-team and deeper formats.

Clark Schmidt, New York Yankees: at KC, at BOS

While his stats don’t jump off the page, Schmidt has allowed three or fewer runs in eight of his nine starts. That has left him with a 4.04 ERA that is supported by a 3.96 xFIP. His strikeout rate is currently 24.5%, which is slightly higher than his career mark of 23.2%. Given the injuries that the Yankees have suffered to their starting rotation, Schmidt has cemented himself as their number three starter behind Max Fried and Carlos Rodon.

In Week 12, Schmidt’s first start is scheduled to be against a Royals team that has scored the fourth-fewest runs in baseball. Facing the Red Sox at Fenway Park is never easy, but the Red Sox have struck out the third-most times in baseball. They are also currently without Alex Bregman (quadriceps). Schmidt is worth deploying in most formats for his two-start week.

Bryan Bello, Boston Red Sox: vs. TB, vs. NYY

Bello has problems keeping runners off base. He has a 1.59 WHIP this season and a 1.43 WHIP for his career. He has shown a lack of control, walking 24 batters over 46 innings. Just as concerning is his 15.9% strikeout rate that is on pace to be the worst mark of his career. His 3.91 ERA isn’t terrible, but his 4.46 xFIP points to some regression likely being on the horizon.

Left-handed pitchers have limited the Rays to a .647 OPS this season, but they have a .723 OPS versus righties. Things get even worse for Bello in his second start, which comes against a Yankees team that has the second-highest OPS and has scored the third-most runs in baseball. While there may be some weeks in which Bello will be a viable streaming option, this isn’t one of them.

Zebby Matthews, Minnesota Twins: vs. TEX, at HOU

Matthews threw five innings against the Athletics in his last outing, allowing one run and recording four strikeouts. He did issue three walks and was pulled after just 77 pitches. A concern with Matthews has been his WHIP. Last season, he had a 1.65 WHIP across nine starts. This season, he has a 1.47 WHIP over four starts. The positive with him is his career 26.2% strikeout rate.

Matthews will start off Week 12 by facing a Rangers team that has scored the third-fewest runs in baseball. The Astros haven’t been much better as they are tied for the ninth-fewest runs scored. The Astros’ lineup is also compromised right now with Yordan Alvarez (hand) on the IL. As far as streaming options go, Matthews is one of the better pitchers to consider for the week.

Mike Barner has been covering fantasy sports since 2007. His work has appeared in Sports Illustrated, Yahoo, SportsLine and RotoWire. Mike was also a finalist for the 2018 FSWA Basketball Writer of the Year award. Follow Mike on Twitter @rotomikebarner.